


Best Friend?

by saladfingers



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Bullying, F/M, Flashbacks, M/M, Past Violence, Unfortunate Implications
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2020-10-06 01:55:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20498969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saladfingers/pseuds/saladfingers
Summary: "You're my best friend. Don't forget that." Ed and Oswald are best friends, aren't they? - an alternate take on "Beware the Green-Eyed Monster" from season 3





	1. Just Like High School

** OSWALD'S POV **

I'm at some public event, I'm obligated to attend because I am mayor. I wish I weren't but I'm glad I am. Victor and Gabe are here with me. Normally, I could say Ed is here with me too, but only physically. When I had jumped the gun earlier, he'd tensed. Only, I felt him tense as I talked now that I think about it. He must've already known. Someone told him and that someone probably rhymes with Parpara Yean.

"Did you feel the knife?"

I jerk my head up at the sudden but familiar voice. My conscience, Ozzie, is lying across the couch in the break area, drinking yet another glass of Chardonnay. Not many other people are around, so I drop to a love seat by him. I shake my head fervently with a sigh as I pour myself a glass.

"Oh, please." Ozzie scoffs. "There was a silver pocketknife in his front left pocket. I know you felt it. It was pressed against us when he hugged, and it wasn't even closed all the way."

"I didn't feel a thing," I argue, lying to myself a tenfold.

"Quit playing the idiot, Oswald."

Ozzie growls, slamming the Chardonnay to the table so hard the glass shatters. Oswald is about to jump initially, but he keeps himself in check. He levels his angry gaze at his twin. The doppelganger only laughs.

"He told me I'm his best friend too." I remind the man before me.

"He also said 'Don't forget that.'" Ozzie imitates Ed's dark voice to a T. "As in, code for 'The only reason you're still alive is we're best friends.' I don't suppose he's ever really had a best friend before. You must feel so lucky."

"I do," I answer less-than-confidently, taking a rather large swig of the alcohol.

Ozzie tilts his head. "I told you once that if he hates you with one iota, I would take. Him. Down. Are you still holding me on that?"

"He hasn't said he hates me."

"Not yet."

  
**ED'S POV**

I had to leave that celebration. Oswald had been too happy, but I'm angry. I'm angry at Oswald for killing Isabella, but I was also mad at myself for killing Kristin. I fell down a dark, dank hole when I accidentally murdered Kristin Kringle and I was terrified I would do the same thing with Isabella. Maybe instead of a curse, Oswald killing Isabella was a blessing in disguise? Maybe I’m just empty inside, and she was a temporary solution.

"Don't be an idiot."

An eerily familiar voice creeps up from behind me in the alley. I discreetly pull out my knife and swivel around. There is no one there. I take a few steps to ensure this, but the only sound is a cat rummaging through a dumpster. I shake it off and turn on my heel, only to crash into someone.

"You want to destroy him."

I fretfully jump but keep my voice steady. "Go away, Eddie."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Ed."

I cringe as my meticulous mirror twin corners me off. He grabs my wrist because he knows he is stronger than me when I am without love. Or clear determination. His grip tightens as if his hand were the Arkham cuffs. I scrunch my eyes shut but I keep walking. I let myself be dragged into the darkness.

"I know who can help us."

"Who?" I am genuinely confused, especially with my eyes still shut. "Falcone?"

I can hear the eyes rolling. "I'll give you a hint: you cut off her hand."

I plant my feet firmly on the ground. "No, no way. I'm not going to Tabitha for help. She may not have killed Isabella, but I don't trust her by a longshot. Or Butch. Or that crabby bitch of an ex-wife the detective had. Besides, they'd kill Oswald. I don't think I could."

"I'm not saying we break out Riddler." Eddie pushes me toward the Sirens. "If we go there and you let me slide in, I can be the greatest actor. We can lull those three pathetic losers into a false sense of security. Remember junior year?"

** START OMNISCIENT FLASHBACK **

There are only two weeks left of junior year for fourteen-year-old Edward Nygma. He has taken a lot of the advanced classes and is also enrolled in four different college courses. He works as well: an attempt to keep his mind off the fact that he has no friends. He is a lonely geek, a skinny beanpole some call him. Those are the nice kids. He has to wear expensive special prescription glasses and carry around a bulky inhaler. He also wears hideous braces, now crooked and bent.

He is walking through the ghosted halls since he is late as per usual. Suddenly, the two meanest witches of the school, Traci and Bonnie, advance on him from either side. Ed tries his best to ignore them, keeping his eyes glued to the ground. Then, Barry is in his way. Barry is a head shorter than Ed, but he’s much more muscular.

"Where ya goin', Shrimp? The ladies is talkin' to ya."

Ed visibly gulps and feels his throat swelling. He turns to face the tormenting cheerleaders. He bares himself, ready to experience some form of pain or extreme humiliation. Instead, Bonnie gets very close to his face, causing him to uncontrollably sweat.

"What I'm about to show you, you can't tell _ANYONE_, okay?"

Ed nods, attempting to back away. He only crashes into Barry, who grabs Ed's shoulders and plants him in his spot in the hallway. Bonnie reaches into her purse and pulls out a small photo album on a keychain. Ed raises his eyebrows and tries to look over. Bonnie nods and the onerous musclebound boy lets go, but he doesn't move. Bonnie is hesitant but she shows Ed the picture.

He sees a blonde girl, maybe thirteen or fourteen. She has long, frizzy pigtails with mud, gum and other gunk stuck within. She has worse braces than him, sticking out of her mouth so she is essentially drooling everywhere. She is wearing taped-up thick glasses with one of the lenses shattered and her outfit is a repulsive plaid patterned dress. The girl is attempting a smile in the photo as she is captured while badly twirling a baton.

"What did you do to her?"

Bonnie gasps and Traci slaps him across the face. Ed recoils from the sudden contact, not expecting her to react that way at all.

"_That_ was me," Bonnie exclaims. "I was a total geekfest. Till Traci here cleaned me up and look at me now."

This Bonnie is sixteen. She has bleach in her hair, and it is cut pixie style. She wears contacts and has white shiny teeth. She is a lot skinnier and is wearing a pink halter top with bedazzled blue jeans. Boys want to be with her, and girls want to be her. Ed nods.

"Great! So, Olivia thinks you'd just be the bomb if you just looked a little less ick. So, you help us pass trig and Traci'll turn you from an old toad to a prince." She holds out her hand. "We got a deal?"

Ed takes her hand in an instant. He has a major crush on Olivia. She isn't like the other girls, all preppy and pseudo-anorexic and such. She wears a lot of dark clothing but no makeup. Though she is a bit of a cynic, she does smile from time to time and she is a pretty good fighter. She isn't sociable, though she doesn't object to having lunch with Ed under the stairwell from time to time.

After school that day, Traci takes Ed to the girls' bathroom where she proceeds to dunk his head into the toilet. He screams at her, but she only laughs, reminding him that the toilets are cleaned with bleach and this is the cheapest way for him to get bleach-blonde hair. He returns to the hall, drenched in toilet water, where he explains a few basic formulas to the girls and Barry. When he is about to leave, Traci reminds him to get to school early tomorrow.

He does. Traci has Halloween paint ready for him. He complains that there are toxic chemicals in the stuff, but Traci brushes the comments off and Barry holds him still, against the ground. Traci spreads the paint on a toothbrush and covers his teeth in the stuff, including his braces. The back ones lock up, causing his mouth to freeze. For the first three class periods, Ed's mouth is wired open, with white frothy paint drizzling out. At lunch, Ed cannot eat, so he heads toward the stairwell.

Before he can reach it, he is ambushed by Barry and Traci, as Bonnie doesn't share their lunchtime. Traci hands Ed an energy elixir, informing him that is will help him lose weight. He refuses and Barry snatches it up, only to pull Ed back and thrust the drink down his open mouth. Traci cackles and the two leave. The liquid had burned the way down, possibly mixing with the paint.

Ed makes his way to the stairs once again, only to have an unsettling feeling in the pits of his stomach. He vomits violently. It is too much force, yet he’s required to continue dry heaving. He falls into his own waste and slides toward the open area with more people to tease and harass him. The vomiting continues and it occurs to Ed that the energy drink must have been spiked with ipecac. He vomits the paint and bleach he had accidentally swallowed from the day before. He is sent to the hospital and is released a day and a half later.

When he returns to school, he is skinnier but weaker. His braces are gone, but only because they had been so contorted in the bullying. His teeth are stained unnaturally white and he’s told that his hair will not return to normal color for quite a few years. Traci, Bonnie, and Barry confront him suddenly as he reaches the steps. They order him to teach him more math or he'll never be popular. He storms past them with a little bit of newfound courage, causing Bonnie to drop her purse, and a certain photo falls out.

Instead of returning the photo, Ed grabs it and runs wild through the building, finally entering the copy room and locking the door. Ed eagerly and greedily copies said picture over a hundred times. He then races out and starts throwing the copies everywhere. Once he makes it to a stairwell, tossing the papers maniacally, he notices the trio smirking up at him. Barry has his arms crossed with a thin line of amusement across his lips. Traci is smirking, with her arm linked around Bonnie, who is so close to full-blown laughter. Ed ceases tossing out the picture, staring at the maybe thirty left in his arms.

He looks around at the many faces in the crowds. Most people are laughing at the picture and nothing more. Ed doesn't get it. The picture isn't too old, and he's only been in this town for two years. Surely someone knows who is in the picture. Surely someone remembers how the queen bee used to look. No. It isn't Bonnie. Ed lets out a gasp as he comes to the realization and his eyes focus on the teary eyes of Olivia. The girl in black angrily glares at him, swears at him and storms out. Ed wants to go and chase after her, but he is frozen in place. He vows to get revenge on the witch-types who run the school, work, even life.

** END FLASHBACK/RETURN TO ED'S POV **

"I remember." I shudder. "What about it?"

"Remember that promise you made? About getting revenge?"

"Yes? And?" I ask confused.

My twin groans loudly. "Are you not a fan of analogies? Do you not see Butch as the star quarterback and Tabitha like his homecoming queen? And what about Barbara? Do you not see her as the head cheerleader?"

I gasp. I honestly hadn't thought about it, nor reflected on that year so much more than a glance. My past is coming back to haunt me. It has circled back around. Those three used me to make my life a living hell and ruin my chances with the girl I thought I loved. Now, these three _villains_ hate me, but they hate Oswald more. If I can get them to believe I hate Oswald as much as them, I can come out on top this time.

"So," Eddie grins mischievously. "Whattaya say I go out for a test drive?"

"Swear you won't hurt Oswald any more than necessary."

Eddie holds his right hand up in a mock trial. He nods. "But others might not be so lucky."

"Deal."


	2. Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ed works with the Sirens, and Oswald has a play date

It has been a month since Oswald and Ed have seen one another. Eddie has been plotting Oswald's demise with Butch and Tabitha while Ed sits in the backseat. There are a few times when Eddie gets reprimanded by his backseat driver once alone, and Eddie returns to the crowd a little different. More annoyed but less medieval. Oswald and Ozzie, meanwhile, have built a torture chamber in their mayoral house just in case it may be necessary. Oswald delegates Victor and the staff to most of the mayoral duties, only showing his face when need be. While Ozzie is busy keeping Penguin at bay as he completes many torturous devices, Oswald separates himself from his counter ego to do something good for Gotham that does not intermittently affect him. He is revamping the old orphanage and foster home.

As far as the City of Gotham knows, their wonderful mayor is taking up his time to do something magnificent for the community. They aren't actually aware of what is happening, as Oswald is also moving the foster home. It is already in shambles, so off in a better area of the city, Oswald and his 'helpers' are rebuilding it and making it nicer. Oswald still believes he is Ed's best friend, while Ozzie explains to him that their friendship is the only reason they are still alive. Behind Oswald's psychotically calm eyes, he is terrified that Ozzie may be right.

Oswald cracks open a bottle of bourbon with the intention of sharing with Victor. A knock comes at the door and a rugged man is on the other side. Ozzie joins Oswald and Victor lingers in the back. Oswald sends the staff away as he takes in the man. He looks disheveled and there is oil on his clothes. His hair clamps to his face as a sign of steamy humidity and bad decisions. Oswald lets him in the house but doesn't allow him to stray. He instead gives Victor a sign and the madman gleams with high hopes. He drags the unwilling stranger, following the hobbling Oswald to the torture room. As the doors close, Oswald grins similar to Victor.

"Don't run, friend. It's been a while since I've had a, heh, play date."

The man cowers at the sight of the mayor. The kingpin of the underworld. Despite the older man's frivolous words, there is a hardened, murderous glaze over his crystallized eyes. His grin is infectious for Victor, but terrifying for the man.

"Please, please. My name is David. I'll tell you anything you want to know. My car busted on me when I was on my way home."

Oswald, or maybe Ozzie, gestures for Victor to connect David to what seems to be an electrocution chair. He clamps the bars around David's head, wrists, and ankles. Oswald then hobbles to a nearby table, revealing a few switches and several types of blades, tools and torturous devices. He and Victor also connect a few wires to the stranger and Oswald glares at him.

"Where were you coming from?"

"Work!" He answers automatically.

"Where do you work?"

"A coffee factory!"

"Really?" Oswald asks, unconvinced.

He turns a little knob, sending volts of horrifying electricity through David's system. The man refuses to cry and Oswald asks again.

"Where do you work?"

"It's not just coffee. We sell biscuits too. And"

Oswald cuts him off by setting the knob higher and increasing the voltage. David starts crying now and could swear he is about to start bleeding through his eyes.

"You weren't at work, friend. Don't lie. Where were you coming from?"

"My co-worker! Stacey! I, I stayed at her place to go over some"

The dial increases to more pressure. When the electric shocks die down, Ozzie takes over momentarily creating a few stabs wounds in agonizing yet non-lethal areas of the man's body. He hooks up a few pliers against David's knuckles and Oswald regains control.

He laughs bitterly. "Why must you lie? Why must people lie? Victor, why is he lying to me? Have you ever lied to me?"

"I would never lie to you, Mr. Penguin. Mr. Cobblepot."

"Thank you." He reassures with demonic sugar in his voice.

"Okay!" David wails. "I don't remember her name and she doesn't work with me. I have a crap job but I get paid enough so I can get a hooker on my way home to my wife and son. Are you happy?"

"No," Oswald confesses. "I haven't been happy since my mother was still alive. Since that time in my club when that foolish man heckled my mother and I killed him without a care in the world. I couldn't save my mother, David. It's possible I can't salvage what is left of the friendship of the man who means the most to me. So, I'm not happy. But Ozzie is, and I think I'm going to take the backseat on this one."

"Backseat?"

Almost immediately, Ozzie returns. He grins maniacally and twists one of the pliers stuck to David's left ring finger. A ghastly sound is made as bones crunch and the finger is decapitated. David screams in agony but Ozzie punches him in the mouth with the butt of a gun. He grabs a sophisticated knife and plunges it deep into the man's abdomen. David cries harshly and begins coughing up blood. Oswald has a lot of built-up tension, though, and Ozzie is fulfilling it.

Kingpin Oswald though is filled with rage. He is allowing Ozzie's words to really get to him. He doesn't want to think of it as truth, so Oswald decides they need surrogates. He gets word to his cronies to bring a specific gang member over through the back way. This specific member, Orlando, seems to be in it for the fun or the fame. He seems to think he is protected simply because he is in Oswald's gang. The Penguin's gang. Fury rises in Oswald's chest as he recalls the many idiotic jumps Orlando has given the gang. He twitches rather violently while Ozzie is having fun playing autopsy and the barely-live 'patient', as he thinks about the pretty boy.

Oswald does not allow Victor to leave when Orlando is brought over. One of the staff members does instead. Orlando is excited, thinking he has been chosen for something enticing. The man who had brought Orlando overbears a striking resemblance to Butch. Ozzie pays this no mind, but something flinches in Oswald's mind for it to be true. Victor allows them into the room upon Oswald's request, locking it back at once.

Orlando's eyes trail over the man in the chair. There is blood spilling out all over his body, and on the chair and the floor. David's organs are being harvested, but not in any way to be useful. David is barely breathing, begging Ozzie to kill him, end him of his misery. Orlando looks a little aching to be here. Oswald barely but distinctively hears Orlando whisper to the man who brought him. He can hear the name 'Aaron.'

"We don't need you, Aaron," Oswald speaks up, interrupting Orlando's whispers but not stopping Ozzie's attachment to their victim. "You can leave."

Aaron gives Oswald a look. It is only there a tenth of a second, but Oswald sees the mistrust. He can't have any of that in his gang. As Ozzie ends David's life with the finals stab wounds cutting off his heart, Oswald brandishes a pistol from the back of his pants. He doesn't turn around. As Victor opens the door to allow Aaron out, a bullet finds its way through the hefty man's skull.

Orlando cries out in shock as Aaron's lifeless body falls against the doorframe. He winces as the taller man's skull cracks backward. Victor stares back to Oswald, who has two faces almost. On one side, he is maniacal and the other is serious, silently instructing Victor to shut the door and leave him be.

At The Sirens, Butch, Tabitha, and Eddie are ready to go. Riddler is waiting impatiently, fighting over the good conscience of Ed. The three are set out to destroy Penguins' existence with Butch and Tabitha upfront. This gives Eddie a chance to delve into the inner workings of his brain.

"He's my best friend, Eddie. Don't actually kill him."

"Well, whom am I supposed to kill? And don't say no one. That's not very"

"Kill Tabitha," Riddler speaks grimly. "Eddie, you're a maniac. I kill with precision. Let me out."

"You kill with precision." Ed agrees. "But also without consequence. You'd kill anyone in your way, including us."

"You two keep me at the realm and I can stop. I can kill who I am directed to kill."

"Should we?" Ed asks Eddie tentatively.

"We better make our decision quickly. We're coming up on his house."

Ed and Eddie sigh in defeat. Riddler is already grinning with the murderous glint. He wonders if he can poke the bear and make Penguin come out to play. Then, they'd be murderers together instead of against one another. Maybe a few others will die in the process, but Riddler has a feeling about Penguin. He never trusted the look-alike as much as Ed claimed to love her. The three in the one body can vaguely comprehend the two lovebirds in the front. Barbara is back at base. Oh, how Ed hates that woman. Riddler isn't fond of her, but Eddie is crazy for her. Ed had loved the look-alike and Eddie has fallen for the crazy. Riddler is "in like" with the psychopathic bird, so who will win?

The car stops and the doors unlock. Riddler takes his rightful place in leading Ed. There is an absolute depressing grin playing on his features. Riddler doesn't need glasses, as he doesn't see by sight. He can feel what he needs to know. Where he needs to go. Penguin isn't the target for him. He is the target of them. He has been working with them for a good long month. He would like to say he is ready for all their antics. Every trick they should decide to pull.

Best of all, Ed lived in this house with Oswald, before things went haywire. Before Ed discovered Oswald and Ozzie were the ones behind the mysterious car crash. Before Ed discovered Oswald was truly in love with him. Riddler notices a flash of electricity consistent with an electrocution chair through an upstairs window, close to where Oswald had murdered one of his servant boys. One of the times Ed had felt sick and unable to work, Oswald had put on a murder show for him. Riddler smiles warmly at the memory before pulling himself together for the excruciating task at hand.

He pushes himself farther than his limits as Ed had begun to pry his way to the front. Riddler can feel the tension in his body, as well as the tension Oswald must have procured at the moment. He likes to think he and Penguin are in mentality sync. Both are insane and he likes it that way. He has found Oswald intriguing since Ed had decided to follow him around the precinct that one fateful day.

Before Riddler realizes it, they are already sneaking around. Tabitha takes to the basement and Butch takes control through the backdoor using Eddie's expert lock-  
picking skills. Riddler is a beanpole, easy enough to shimmy up the drainpipe. Easy enough to unlock Oswald's window to his bedroom and slither in like a snake. Riddler goes over in his mind, all the scenarios of what happens next. Is Oswald ready? Is Ozzie too busy? Will Penguin come out and play?


	3. Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oswald and Ed come head-to-head in an all-out brawl upstairs in the manor

** OSWALD'S POV **

This is it. They're coming to kill me. I let out a giggle. Anyone can say but I will deny. Because I don't giggle. I also don't limp. I hobble. Victor will help me. He's already helped so much. And the house servants have cleaned up the bodies in my midst. My mafia is growing stronger now that all the weak links have been sorted. We are stronger than ever and I even have some help from the poor, misguided townsfolk. The ones who will do anything for their mayor. Even die for him.

The tall, skinny one in the glasses in mine, though. Or Ozzie's, possibly Penguin's, if things go that far. If things escalate. He's right here at my side, both of them. Victor's caught me once, talking things out with Penguin. Rather, I was yelling at him and broke the mirror doing so. He's smart. He didn't ask any questions. Instead, he bandaged me. I suppose he's used to the torment and what it can do to you.

** OZZIE'S POV **

Oswald is bringing me out more now. It's almost like we're two halves of a whole. Of course, Penguin's down in here too, but he doesn't have much of a chance to play. But Oswald and I can shake the world. He can focus on one thing on the right and I can focus on another on the left. Of course, we shut off Penguin completely and I know he's getting fed up. If one of us gets injured, he might just take us both over. The mayor will be a psychotic, inviolable machine.

Things are going to hell much too quickly for my liking. Tabitha is in the basement. I can hear her. Oswald and I are on the prowl, heading upstairs. We wish we could leave Penguin down here, but it is impossible. Victor is to head off to the back with Lynette, one of our most trusted servants. Makes jokes about turning our victims into gumbo at times. One day, we might just let her have at it. Strange girl. Like one of the family. The real family. With us and Victor.

** PENGUIN'S POV **

I need to be on the outside. Here, I am watching a movie that can attack me. I can't feel anything, though. I can't do anything to stop or prolong the ending. I don't know what to expect. Oswald's and Ozzie's thoughts swarm at the same time. They are two men controlling one body at once. If I concentrate hard enough, I may be able to grant Oswald's dreams of having eyes in the back of his head. Much like that incorrigible woman who once sat for us. All those years ago.

Now, here we trudge. Tabitha is a low-down snake. Gradually, she will come from the basement. Victor and Lynette are the most promising, so they will lead the other unimportants to the back because Butch is nothing but a backstabber. They are proven to their highest points. Speaking of, Ed. He is controlling. He craves the power. Where is more power than the mayor's bedroom? Which is exactly where we are heading.

** RIDDLER'S POV **

The balcony is a nice view. With thorn bushes off to the side. An ideal place for dropping a body. A spat gone wrong is all would take. Yet, here I stand, teetering. Ed wants his control back, practically clawing at me from behind the walls. Ed and Eddie have me in their reigns, but luckily Eddie is holding back. Here I stand, waiting behind the wardrobe in this mess of a room. It looks like a tornado took over.

The more I look around, the more I wonder. His bedsheets hardly look touched, but there is a blood splatter there as well. There are shards of broken glass all over the floor, as well as several bullets and ripped clothes. What has gone on in here? If there's one thing I like, it's a good mystery. An enigma. Haha.

** EDDIE'S POV **

If my hunches are correct, Ozzie has built some new torture devices. The lights flicker from time to time, accompanied by antagonizing screams. It makes me all giddy inside. I want to laugh, but we are in hiding. Who will come through that door? Oswald, Ozzie or Penguin? Oswald is a bit oblivious, but furious when he comes to a realization. Ozzie is ingenious but malevolent and I am almost positive he is who shoved that umbrella down that man's throat that while ago.

Penguin, though. Penguin would murder us without a second thought. He would tease us and offer a riddle of his own. Just because. That side actually scares me. He is so spontaneous. He will forget about loving us: well, loving Ed. And he will kill all of us. For trespassing and intent. But word would then get out to Barbara. And Gotham. And Fish. Oh, I am terrified of Fish. But Penguins eat fish.

** ED'S POV **

I want to be let out of here. Riddler will kill Oswald if he tries to harm us. Will we be battling each other, or will I be battling my demons? That would make it so easy for Oswald to just come in during my apparent squabbling and just step on our throats. With his good leg, or his umbrella. It would take nothing at all, and he would be back to rule Gotham. How terrifying.

My inner dwellings tell me Oswald is like us. Penguin is not him and he's got an Ozzie how I've got an Eddie. He's never told me, though. And we're supposedly best friends. Why do we keep secrets? Because our secrets are deadly. Not only for others but ourselves as well. Shit, I hear arguing. The lights flicker again and there's another scream. The footsteps are closing in and the bickering is getting louder. More aggressive.

** OMNISCIENT POV **

"He has nothing to do with this!" Oswald hisses at his other side.

His maniacal left side giggles maliciously. "Doesn't he, though? He's died and come back. Why wouldn't he break-in?"

"This is about Nygma, not Valeska, you incompetent fool."

"They could be working together, don't you see? Gotham is indeed a mad city."

"I suppose you're right." Oswald concedes, pulling his umbrella up and aiming it around his room. "Nygma is not alone. But he is, in the manner of speaking."

Suddenly, a bullet is shot through his umbrella, blasting a hole in his wardrobe. A panicked shout sends him cackling in the doorway. He laughs as he taps the floor with his umbrella pistol and the special guest(s) makes a run for the bed. He dives for the other side before realizing Oswald has a clean shot and doesn't take it. He is about to question this when he hears one of Oswald's sides hissing.

"Quit laughing, Oswald. Your nose is going to start bleeding again."

"Don't give a shit, friend." Oswald's eyes glimmer with fury, nearly allowing Penguin to take over.

"Which one is dominating?" Eddie whispers to his own dominating Riddler.

"Weird, it looks like there's two of him."

"Perceptive, Friend." Oswald replies through gritted teeth, now towering over the bed.

Riddler shrinks back in alarm and Eddie suddenly reacts. He feels threatened and rushes full force at Oswald and Ozzie. They work incongruent, with Oswald blocking incoming blows and Ozzie snatching the grip of the umbrella with his feet. It flips over, slamming into Eddie's back. He coughs at the sudden impact and Ozzie lets the object fall into his hand before whacking him again but Oswald is quick to punch the man in his throat.

Eddie stumbles down and Riddler is back. He continues to cough and wheeze, but he roughly snatches the umbrella from Ozzie's grasp and advances on them. A loud commotion can be heard downstairs, followed by glass breaking and the lights flickering once again. Oswald takes Riddler's confusion in stride as he reaches up and seizes Riddler's glasses. He quietly creeps out to make a hasty retreat for his weapon of choice when Riddler's unsteady gaze hardens.

Though he can't actually see, his arms outstretch, causing Oswald to look at him a strange way. Suddenly, Riddler is advancing on him again and Ozzie carelessly tosses Riddler's glasses to the bed. Riddler knocks Oswald and Ozzie to the floor, skinning their backside with the broken glass. He begins to make a riddle, which the others do not hear. Ozzie is fading quickly and Oswald wants to cry. Penguin sees red and comes at Riddler with a vengeance.

To say Riddler is surprised is an understatement. Penguin brings an unholy wrath as he eagerly swipes a discarded piece of glass cut into his backside and jams it into Riddler's jaw. He kicks at Riddler as he stands, not wobbly from the pure adrenaline. He pokes the bear into his cavern and, within a flash of another electricity jolt, Riddler is vanquished. With Riddler and Ozzie sitting on the sidelines, Penguin and Eddie match wits. Villainous screams of torture are heard downstairs and Eddie is mildly curious. Penguin pulls him off this track rather quickly with another attack.

Eddie can barely see and doesn't have the privilege of another top sense. However, when a large hit from an unknown object sends Eddie backing into the bed, he locates his glasses and surges forward. The surge causes Penguin's nose to begin bleeding again. He cradles it slightly with one hand but showing off his prowess with the other. Even as a damaged bird, he can still put up a hell of a fight. He's had a lot of practice.

Outside, the two can just barely hear the sound of another car pulling up. They can just barely hear someone being thrown out of a window. They just barely notice the lights flickering through the house again. Penguin is hardly concerned when he witnesses one of his house servants being tripped off the balcony until he realizes too late that it is Lynette. Eddie takes advantage of Penguin's distracted form and they roll into the hall.

Penguin regains control for a lasting tumble down the hall, only to wind up in another room. His energy doesn't last, and the final piece of the puzzle is handed to Oswald in desperate measures. The pain is swelling and the limp is back, though that is the least of the man's concerns. Gunshots ring out and an eerie grin appears on Oswald's face when he looks behind Eddie to observe Barbara Keane being stabbed through the back by his trusted confidante Victor. Eddie pauses to watch as well and Oswald takes advantage of this. They are in the bathroom and Oswald easily takes a swing at Eddie's shin, causing him to fall against the sink.

Both men fall in bleeding agony and Eddie dissolves. Eddie, Ozzie, Riddler, and Penguin are down for the count leaving only Ed and Oswald to battle on the bathroom floor. Oswald falls to his knees in hopes of catching his breath and grabs a wrench from earlier. They'd had a leak before Ed and his pals had come to visit. Oswald had grown impatient and killed the repairman. Seems he's left a tool behind.

Or two. Ed has resurfaced with a screwdriver now in his hand. He cannot stand, nor can he see out of his left cracked lens. Still, he methodically towers over Oswald, with his tool wavering above him. Oswald finds the weak spot in Ed's abdomen and strikes it before Ed has a chance to pierce his skin. Oswald immediately trades places and finds himself locking Ed in place. Both men are nearing their exhaust due to their extreme injuries. Their blood spools together.

In his very weakened state, Ed drops the screwdriver and scrunches up his eyes, awaiting the terrible fated assault. It seems the leak isn't properly fixed as it springs again, washing Ed's weapon away. The taller man sighs bitterly and watches in fascination as Oswald sloppily tosses his own bludgeon to the side. He remains over Ed, now grasping Nygma's wrists and holding them over the man's head.

Emotions flood through Oswald's face, with dominance everlasting all. Ed cannot help but look into Oswald's eyes and see the same passionate glaze the man has had over assassinating Galavan, over killing Fish. The same brutal enjoyment he had gotten between the events of nearly murdering him and the events that followed, showing Oswald had won the people's hearts. When he had become mayor. Ed remembers the pride he had felt when his plan had succeeded. And his best friend got what he deserved. What he deserved.

Ed is pulled from his reverie then as Oswald almost completely slumps over his, hesitantly hovering his lips over Ed's. Ed can just barely move. He has a choice to make: either up or over. Drawing in a breath, he thinks about when he was truly happy and not awkwardly hesitant. He pulls his head up to meet Oswald's. The burst from lip-to-lip contact gives Oswald a sudden more passionate energy. He bites at Ed's lips, slightly bucking against his hips, drowning out the rest of the world.

The noise dies down and Oswald has lost most of his staff in this war. He has only half his mafia and what is left of his civilian army is sent packing. Butch, Tabitha, and Barbara are dead. Gone to the world. Victor is especially proud of his work on Tabitha. He conceitedly strides upstairs for Oswald. One, he would like to check on the man's physical condition. Two, he wonders if Nygma is dead. He knows, after all, about Oswald's afflictions with the nerdy man.

Just as he is at the top of the stairs, he glances into the bathroom and is very shocked at what he sees. No, Nygma is not dead. He is barely moving and obviously consensually submissive, but he is not dead in the least. And Oswald's physical condition is in far better working condition than Victor would think possible. He turns away and walks back downstairs immediately. Oswald and Ed don't notice their brief audience as they continue their heated and much-needed romp on the bathroom tiles.


End file.
